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(No Model.)

P. BUNAU-VARILLA. I APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING MINERALS, METALS, &c.

No. 578,206. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

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ilNrrr: TATES ATENT FFICE.

PHILIPPE BUNAU-VARILLA, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING MINERALS, METALS, 8w.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 578,206, dated March 2, 1897. i 3

Application filed September 26, 1895. Serial No. 563,788. (No model.)

To all whom 710' may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIPPE BUNAU-VA- RILLA, engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented an Apparatus for WVashingand Separating Minerals, Metals, Coal, or other Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the separating of minerals from the foreign materials found with them; and it has for its object a new apparatus for effecting the sorting and the separation of the particles of different density.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a-vertical section of an apparatus according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The said apparatus consists of a hollow truncated cone or a series of cylinders B O D having the same axis, but of increasing diameters, the cone or series of cylinders being closed at their two ends by covers, the smaller end being provided with an axial circular orifice. In the smaller portion of the apparatus is a bell A, having the same axis as the apparatus and following in external contour the fixed part B, so as to leave a small space between the two walls. The top of the bell is pierced by a circular orifice a, corresponding to that in the fixed cover of the apparatus and serving forthe introduction of the mixture of water and materials to be separated.

The sides of the bell are connected to the rotating shaft by arms or vanes 19, which in their outer part are curved back in the direction of rotation. The shaft is rotated in any suitable manner. The vanes or arms b are also connected by a disk 0 of a diameter less than that of the internal diameter of the bell. The disk 0 prevents the materials introduced by the orifice a from passing therethrough without becoming influenced by the impulse of rotation. The wingsb of therotating bell A may, if desired, be provided with extensions b of reduced diameter extending beyond the base of the bell into the part 0 of the apparatus, where a classification of the materials should take place by reason of the velocity which they have acquired. These extensions 1) are used for maintaining the movement of the material in the part 0 O of the apparatus, where classification takes place. The diameter of the part C gradually increases from the part 0 to the part, D of the apparatus, where the materials are collected.

The outlet-openings may be formed in the base of the last cylinder or truncated cone 0, or, by preference, the base may be formed of a series of cylinders d d d of successivelydecreasing diameters and provided with lateral outlet-openings e e e in the sides of these cylinders. In either case the valves or covers closing these outlets may be operated by means of a screw, so as to obtain a strong regular motion in opening and closing the orifices.

In order to prevent solid matter from entering between the bell A and body B of the apparatus, injectors f are provided for admitting water, and theexternal surface of the bell is provided with a curved projecting part, causing the water to be thrown toward the circumference of the apparatus.

The parts 0 C of the apparatus have a number of water-jets g passing through them. The said apparatus may be placed vertically, horizontally, or obliquely, and it is charged with the minerals to be separated and is fed with a supply of water through the small end.

On the entrance into the apparatus the water and minerals take a rapid circular move ment by means of the rotating bell-A, plate 0, and wings b, and retain the same circular movement through a certain length, depending on the length or height of the apparatus. The mass of water and mineral will keep for a time the speed it has thus acquired, and the minerals which rub against the inner surface of the parts 0 C of the apparatus will lose a portion of their angular velocity, while the inner portions will continue their rapid rotary motion. Owing to this difference of the speed of movement a classification of the materials will take place, allowing the denser particles to move outwardly, while the less dense particles move toward the axis of rotation.

The mass will gradually form into groups, separated from each other by a surface of revolution having a parabola or a series of arcs of parabolas for the generating-line, the materials of the greater density toward the circumference and those of less density toward the center. The liquid surface will itself be a parabola whose apex will be determined by the angular velocity and the circular aperture at the smaller end.

The lines It in the drawings represent the parabaloid surface formed by water, and the lines 7; represent the boundary-surface between the water and the less dense particles and the lines j the boundary -,surface between the denser particles and the lighter ones. The number of outlets to be employed obviously corresponds to the number of different groups produced by the classification.

In order to facilitate the classification of the particles, jets of water under pressure, but of small quantity, maybe injected from the exterior into the apparatus at g. The

wa ter thus forced inside will pass through the mass of material which is toward the exterior of the apparatus and thus produce a relative displacement of the particles, which, being soon followed by a fresh approach toward the exterior,tends in a large degree to effect the desired classification. In this movement, owing to the gyratory motion, the disturbing influence of the capillary force of at. traction disappears.

If it be desired to collect gold, mercury is introduced into the apparatus, and, being placed at the zone of maximum radius, absorbs and dissolves the particles of gold which tend continually to lodge there. In this case it will suffice to open an orifice for the exit of the waste material set free from the gold and to close the door which gives an outlet for the materials of greatest density. Owing to the small amount of material thus to be collected, the exit for the precious material need only be made, say, once a day, either by the action of centrifugal force when opening the door for the densest materials or by directly stopping the apparatus and discharging by hand.

I claim as my invention- 1. An apparatus for washing and separatin g minerals, metals, coalor other substances, comprising a stationary receptacle having an internal circular surface of a diameter increasing from the top toward the bottom and provided in its smaller end with a rotary bell having an orifice for the entrance of the water and materials to be treated, the said apparatus having at its larger end outlets at diflerent distances from the center, substantially as set forth.

2. A washing and separating apparatus, comprising a stationary receptacle having an internal circular surface of a diameter increasing from the top toward the bottom, and provided in its smaller end with a rotary bell having an orifice for the entrance of the water and materials to be treated, a central shaft, vanes connecting the said bell to the said shaft, a plate below the orifice in the bell and connected to the central shaft, and outlets at the bottom of the receptacle at different distances from the center, substantially as set forth.

3. A washing and separating apparatus comprising a stationary receptacle having an internal circular surface of a diameter increasing from the top toward the bottom, a rotary bell in the smaller end of the receptacle, the said bell having an orifice for the entrance of the water and materials to be treated, outlets at the bottom of the receptacle, and water-jets at the side of the receptacle, all substantially as set forth.

4. An apparatus for washing and separatin g minerals, metals, coal or other substances, comprising a stationary receptacle having an internal circular surface of a diameter increasing from one end toward the other, and provided in its smaller end with a rotary bell having an orifice for the entrance of the water and materials to be treated, the said apparatus having at its larger end outlets at different distances from the center, and injectors f f between the bell and the receptacle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIPPE BUNAU-VARILLA.

Vitnesses:

CLYDE SHRoPsH'IRE, LitoN FRANCKEN. 

